Summary
ModernDoctor Whois celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, commemorating the revival that saved the beloved sci-fi series from permanent cancelation. As people who worked on the show look back on how it all started, the singular creative voice behindDoctor Who’ssoft reboot took the time to try to settle an old feud by praising a former leading actor.
New-Who, or the era ofDoctor Whothat took place from 2005 to 2023, was kick-started by showrunner Russell T. Davies and producer Julie Gardner. Many long-time fans were excited by the prospect of their favorite time-traveling Time Lord returning to screens. However, general audiences were also skeptical at the time that Davies could shake off the series' older reputation for its poor visual effects and goofy tone. Alas, the critics and naysayers were wrong.Doctor Whoreturned and was a smashing success, establishing an enduring legacy in the process. Davies' rebrand of the show into amore action-packed, thrilling, horror-filled adventure—whilst holding true to its more campy, ridiculous timey-wimey elements—captured the imagination of a new generation. His invention of an overarching post-Gallifrey Time War storyline, which tied each subsequent series together, was also a winning formula. While most people associate this fresh period of the show with David Tennant, veteran actor Christopher Eccelston is responsible for reviving the titular character and making it a success again with viewers.
Eccleston was perfect for New-Who’s first series. He brought a brooding, deafeningly intimidating, and atmospheric presence to the character that elevated the Doctor’s new tragic backstory. The Time Lord had justexterminated both his own people and the Daleks in The Last Great Time War. But this was also matched by Eccleston’s ability to turn, at a dime, into light and fun comedic quirks that struck an excellent balance for his incarnation.
Davies returned to leadDoctor Who’ssecond modern era in 2023. As part of the 20th Anniversary of the show’s revival, the showrunner spoke toDoctor Who Magazineabout his history and involvement in the show.TheRadioTimesreports that during the interview, Davies highlighted the importance of Eccleston’s role in the rising success of the show:
“I hope he knows how well remembered he is, as a magnificent Doctor who broke the mold.”
In so many ways, Davies is absolutely right. Eccleston was completely different from any actor that came before him. He successfully modernized the role into a portrayal of a tragic hero that added real weight and substance to an alien that had always seemed so aloof. This groundedness and inclination towards exploring the Doctor’s human condition has been carried forward by every successive actor in New-Who.
Davies didn’t just commend Eccleston for his performance, he proceeded to heap on praise and categorize the formerDoctor Whostar as one of the UK’s finest actors:
“I mean, the man is a master … You get to work with a genius – someone who’s still at the top of his game all these years later. That’s what we were lucky to get.”
However, when considering Davies and Eccleston’s long-running and well-reported turbulent history behind the scenes, this overwhelmingly pleasant appraisal seems slightly odd.
After the wildly successful first Series, it came as a shock to many fans and viewers that Eccleston would be leaving the TARDIS after just thirteen episodes in the role. The BBC released a statement claiming that the decision was his, but it was quickly retracted after the discovery that they had made the claim without his consent. This odd behavior,in combination with his sudden exit, led to years of speculation as to what may have led to his departure. Rumors suggested Eccleston left to avoid being typecast. However, the truth has since slowly seeped into the public sphere years later.
Eccleston wanted to avoid bad-mouthing the BBC program at the time, but after so many years, the actor has finally revealed that his relationship with the creative team behindDoctor Whocompletely broke down. According to Eccleston, the production on Series 1 was almost a complete disaster: it was behind schedule and entirely disorganized, cultivating a poor working environment for many involved. In a post-MeToo era, accusations of sexual misconduct also emerged around formerDoctor WhostarJohn Barrowman, who played Captain Jack Harkness. The majority of people making the allegations framed the conduct as inappropriate pranks rather than predatory behavior, but this in no way diminishes the actor’s unprofessional actions, as he apparently exposed himself to several co-workers. This would seem to support Eccleston’s suggestion that Series 1’s production had a negative culture surrounding it.
So, are Davies' comments in this interview an attempt to heal old wounds? There have been repeated attempts to get Eccleston back in the role, includingan offer for him to appear in the 50th Anniversary special. But they have all been refused, except for Eccleston coming back to do a series of audiobooks with Big Finish. It certainly appears to be a good-faith olive branch from Davies, seeking to foster a more positive relationship with the actor that helped jump-start modernDoctor Who.However, it’s doubtful that this more optimistic outlook on their relationship is a two-way street. During aDoctor Whopanel at the 2023 For The Love Of Sci-Fi Convention, Eccleston sat on stage with Billie Piper and made a few comments that raised some eyebrows. He stated his conditions for returning to the show and his role:
“Sack Russell T Davies, sack Jane Tranter, sack Phil Collinson, sack Julie Gardner.”
This extremely strong reaction suggests that, despite Davies' best efforts, there is still a ways to go in settling the bad blood between New-Who’s first showrunner and its initial leading actor.
Doctor Who / Whoniverse
BBC’s Doctor Who debuted in 1963, with the franchise producing more than 25 seasons since then. Along with the beloved main sci-fi show(s), the franchise has spawned multiple spin-offs, books, games, etc.
